Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-10-27

For ten years after the close OF the
war the Republican party had undsPuted
| control OF the Federal Government in
| all its departments, and during that
period it not only failed TO make necessary re-
| forms in the public service to legislate for
| the promotion OF the general welfare, but it
| criminally neglected the material interests OF
the masses OF the people, and in its anxiety 70
win the apr lause and support of aggregated
| capital II laid the foundation for many new
\ abuses which have since grown to alarming
| proportions. II virtually DESTROYED the Ameri-
| can navy and merchant marine. II squandered
| the public lands by unnecessary and excessive
| grants TO corporations. and by permitting large
] and valuable tracts TO be appropriate oy
/ syndcates OF spectators; and IL wasted the
! public money by loose and extrayagant
system of expenditures which has no parallel
| in history. II maintained an unequal
| system of taxation, for the avowed purpose OF
| obstructing international exchanges, and at
the same time, with glazing Inconsistency, IL
paid subsidies out OF the public treasury 10 en-
courage foreign commerce. II employed the
military power TO control elections by the
| people, and to overawe the tribunals ap-
pointed by law make the returns II
established and abolished courts and commis-
sions. and increased or diminished their Jur1s-
dctions 10 meet political emergencies; and,
under the decisions and awards OF these tenn
porary and irresponsible tribunals. II PAID
many millions of dollars out OF the public
treasury claims OF at least doubtful validity,
held by people living in part OF the country
where Republican votes were soreiy needeo-
! Up to the last moment OF its supremacy, IL
habitually used official power for partisan pur-
poses, and made its placemea an organized
body of political serfs, every one OF whom was
| compelled by the memorable law OF the party
TO contribute his money and his personal serV-
ices whenever demanded.
It is not proposed here to attempt an emu
meration of all the obnoxious measures ana
arbitrary practices of the Republican party
while in power, but simply 10 mention Few.
for the purpose of indicating the spirit in which
IL conducted public affairs. II has left the
country legacy OF bad laws and vicious
methods Of administration which 1t Will take
many years of earnest labor TO correct. ana IL
is evident that this task can be best
performed by those who have no per-
sonal political responsibility for the
evils that to be remedied- The reconstruc-
ton OF the navy and the restoration OF the
merchant marine are not likely to be accom-
plshed by continuation OF the same policy
which reduced them to their present condition;
nor is it probable that such reformation OF
the civil service will make it thoroughly
honest and effective and place official respon-
sibility above partisan obligations, can or VIII
be effected by the same political party which
persisentiy pursued the course that made re-
form necessary. 1t would be an act of folly TO
intrust the preservation of the public domain
to the same men who, when they had the
power, despoied this great heritage of the
people. The same influences which surrounded
and controlled them then surround and con-
troll them now. and will continue TO do so.
Few questions of purely internal policy are
of greater or more i'm mediate Importance to
the people Than those which relate directly or
indirectly 10 the public lands. These questions
are of supreme Importance to that large
number of our citizens who are without other
means than the wages Of their labor. ana
who are struggling to secure homes
for themselves and families. Unless
the comparatively small quantity OF arabic
land now left in the hands of the Government
is carefully protected against the encroacn-
ments of mere Spectators and the fraudulent
Of fl,n Iau xuhf en haUA a re-
suited IN the acquisition of many millions OF
acres, the time is not far distant when IL will be
impossible for the surplus laborers in the older
communities to secure cheap homes in the
West; and then shall begin to experience,
in a worse form than ever heretofore, those So
cial and political evils which naturally spring
from dense and idle populations. The sltua-
ton imperatIvely demands the careful revision
and strict enforcement of the laws relating TO
the disposition of the public domain, so that
speculation and fraud may be prevented or
punished and cheap homes and good titles
guaranteed to the honest settler; the reclama-
ton OF lands illegally occupied or claimed by
individuals and corporations, foreign and do
mestic; and just and speedy settlement OF all
matters in dispute between the Government
and the subsidized railroad companies; the en-
actment and rigid enforcement of laws 10 COM
pei corporations to take patents for all
the lands actually and legally earned by them
under grants from the Government, so that
they may be subject TO taxation by the states
and Territories in which they are situated; and,
finally, the adoption of just and enlightened
policy for the civilization and Government OF
the Indians within our jurisdiction, in order
that all the substantial rights OF these depend
ent people may be amply protected without
unnecessarily retarding the evelopment OF
our new States and Territories.
Much has already been done during the pres
ent Administrator to reclaim lands condition.
ally granted to railroad and other corporations,
20 annul fraudulent entries, to prevent unlaw-
full Enclosures, and 10 protect the timbers and
minerals upon the public domain; but the work
is still incomplete, and IL VIII require addltlon-
al legislation and constant vigilance upon the
part of those charged with the administration
of the laws, TO prevent the improper approprla-
ton OF a large part OF the most valuable TERRI
tory belonging TO the Government In
order TO do this the cooperation OF the
legislative and Executive departments is alb
solutely necessary, and past experience has
shown that this corporation, except to linn
tied extent, could rot be secured until after a
Democratic Administration was inaugurated.
The foundations of the existing system, under
which immense landed estates have been ae-
ouired by foreign and domestic corporations
and syndicates. were laid by the Republican
party, and the fraudulent practices which nave
desponed the public domain OF its most fertile
and valuable sect ons were begun and contin-
ned while Republican officials alone were
charged with the duty of enforcing the laws and
protecting the interests OF the Government and
the people Even now when the magnitude OF
the evils almost universally recognized. and
the demand for immediate reform is urgently
pressed by the homeless labor OF the country,
the Republican Se1ate either refuses TO act at
all or procee eds slowly and reluctantly to the
consideration of the subject On the other
hand, the Democratic House has been earnest
and active in its efforts TO secure such changes
in the laws as Will dedicate the public lands TO
actual settlers under the Homestead law, and
has even gone so far as TO amend It's rules In
order to give such measures preference
over other business It has passed bills
FORGETTING and restoring to the Govern
ment. for benefit of actual set
tiers more than one hundred million
acres of land only a part of which has been